How to deal with a rat or mice infestation

Posted October 31, 2014

Now that the cold weather is starting to kick in, mice and rats start to look for somewhere warm, safe and secure and if you’re really unlucky that could mean your home!

Rats and mice can get into wall spaces, roof spaces, cellars or cupboards and they can cause a lot of damage such as getting into your food cupboards, causing a fire hazard by chewing your electrical wires and generally damaging your furnishings, insulation and woodwork.

Rats and mice are well known for entering sheds and getting into integral garages and rats in particular have been known to enter houses through cat flaps!

The tell-tales signs of a mice or rat problem are:

Ammonia-like odour
Scratching noises under floors or in walls
Nests of paper, fabrics and plastics
Greasy fur marks on your woodwork
Droppings which are sausage shaped and dark in colour
Teeth marks on food packaging etc

Dealing with mice or rat problems

To avoid rat or mice problems in the home we would advise:

Removing food sources
Making sure your bins are secure and closed
Sealing up gaps in brickwork
Don’t leave pet bowls outside with any water in them
Keep anything they can access in tight sealable containers
Make sure that any broken air bricks are fixed
Seal up small gaps around doors
Repair damaged floor boards and skirting boards

Mice and rats are looking for somewhere warm and comfortable to live where there is plenty of food to keep them content so if they have nothing to gain by being in or near your home then they will soon move on.